Bag keeper system, and components therefor

ABSTRACT

A bag keeper device to retain a trash bag against the side and bottom of a garbage can, shop vac unit, or similar component. The device includes a cylindrical frame structure having an opening to accommodate hoses and nozzles of a dust collection system.

The present patent application claims priority from and is based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/552,531 filed Mar. 12, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

The present invention relates generally to a system and components for preventing a trash bag from being sucked into a dust collection system.

More particularly, the present invention relates to such a bag keeper system and components therefor which retain a trash bag against the side and bottom of a garbage can, shop vacuum, or similar component.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heretofore, woodworkers would have to carry a heavy garbage can full of sawdust and other debris to the curb for collection, sometimes during inclement weather such as snow or rain. In such a situation, the can would get wet and the sawdust would stick to the can.

The prior, but not necessarily relevant, art is exemplified by the following United States patents.

Tanabe U.S. Pat. No. 2,636,656, entitled “SACKING DEVICE WITH OPEN-ENDED BODY HAVING SACK GRIPPING DEVICES THEREON, issued Apr. 28, 1953.

Thurber, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 2,731,184 entitled “SUPPORT FOR DISPOSABLE REFUSE CONTAINERS AND COMBINATIONS THEREOF”, issued Jan. 17, 1956.

Zaks U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,329, entitled “FILLING DEVICE FOR USE WITH PLASTIC TRASH BAGS,” issued Oct. 28, 1975.

Spellman U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,895, entitled “REFUSE BAG FRAME FOR VACUUM CLEANERS”, issued Mar. 18, 1986.

Yardas U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,518, entitled “TRASH BAG SUPPORT SYSTEM”, issued Jul. 26, 1988.

Dauphinais U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,554, entitled “REMOVABLE, ADJUSTABLE PROTECTING-LINER FOR USE INSIDE OF TRASH BAGS”, issued Jul. 13, 1993.

Seiler et al. U.S. Design Pat. No. 361,185, entitled “BAG SUPPORT INSERT WITH FUNNEL TOP”, issued Aug. 8, 1995.

Clinton U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,735, entitled “DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING A FLEXIBLE BAG”, issued Oct. 22, 2002.

It is a desideratum of the present invention to avoid the animadversions of the previous devices and techniques, and to provide a novel and unique bag keeper system and components therefor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a bag keeper device for retaining a trash bag against the side and bottom of a garbage can, shop vacuum, or similar component, comprising: a frame structure including a plurality of vertical members interconnected with at least one first completely circular member and one or more partially circular members; said frame structure having an overall shape which is substantially cylindrical; said first completely circular member forming the uppermost member of said frame structure; said members forming said frame structure providing a plurality of first openings between said interconnected members; said interconnected members also forming a side-open structure having a second opening therein which is larger than said first opening; and said frame structure being shaped and dimensioned to fit within a trash bag to retain said trash bag against the side and bottom of a garbage can, shop vacuum or similar component, and to prevent said trash bag from being sucked into a hose of a collection system.

The present invention provides a bag keeper device, which is especially helpful to woodworkers.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bag keeper system which can be inserted into a garbage bag installed in a trash can, and thus prevent any dust collection system, such as a Woodstock Dust Separator No. 1049, coupled to the can from physically sucking the bag into the hose of the collection system.

A further object is to provide a bag keeper device which can be furnished in more than one size, thus permitting it to be used with other sizes of bags and types of vacuum systems, such as shop vacuums. Optionally, the bag keeper device can be tapered instead of purely cylindrical.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide such a bag keeper device which permits insertion of the bag keeper into a piece of equipment, while bypassing the hose connection for the system.

Other objects, advantages, applications and features of the present invention will become apparent to those persons skilled in this particular area of technology, and to other persons, when the accompanying description of the present invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a complete system utilizing a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the assembly of components for the garbage can arrangement shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the bag keeper device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the components which may be used in conjunction with a large capacity shop vacuum unit.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the bag keeper device which may be used with a smaller capacity shop vacuum.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 illustrates the complete system 10 comprising a woodworker's saw 11, a garbage can 12, and a dust collection device such as a shop vacuum unit 13.

With reference to FIG. 2, there is shown a thirty-gallon garbage can 12 in which is placed a plastic trash bag 14, and within the trash bag 14 is placed a bag keeper 15 (FIG. 2) in accordance with the present invention. The bag keeper 15 includes a cylindrical grid structure 16 having an upper continuous 360° member 17, a lower completely continuous 360° member 18, and a side-open structure 19 which permits the bag keeper 15 to pass nozzles when the bag keeper 15 is used with a system that has such nozzles.

The assembled garbage can arrangement with bag keeper 15 is shown in FIG. 1, and is covered by a top cover 20 member which has two holes therein. Preferably, but not necessarily, the top cover member 20 can be the Woodstock Dust Separator No. WI 049.

A first vacuum hose 21 is connected between any dust producing equipment, such as the woodworking saw 11, and the garbage can 12 arrangement. A second vacuum hose 22 is connected between the garbage can 12 and the vacuum device 13.

In operation, the heavier particles removed from the saw device 11 settle in the trash bag 14 in the garbage can 12, and the finer dust particles are removed by the second vacuum hose 22 and vacuum system 13.

The system 10 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 provides a convenient, lightweight, time-saving and optimum sized arrangement for woodworkers. Professional woodworkers will find this assembly quite helpful because they would not have to carry a garbage can to the curb after it was filled with sawdust or chips. Because the bag keeper 15 would hold the trash bag 14 against the walls of the garbage can 12, the worker can simply remove the bag keeper 15 from the trash bag 14, remove the bag 14, replace the bag 14, and reinstall the bag keeper 15 to continue work. The garbage bag 14, when it was full, could then be conveniently set aside until later, thus permitting the worker to continue his or her task.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the bag keeper. In this embodiment, the bag keeper 30 may be fabricated from solid plastic or metal.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention which can be used for larger capacity shop vacuum units 43. FIG. 4 shows the bag keeper 40, a square baffle 41 that fits over an orifice 42 in the shop vacuum component 43, and the nozzle arrangement 44 that fits through the orifice 42 and the baffle 41. It is noted that the open slot 44 of the bag keeper 40 permits passage over the square baffle 41 arrangement and nozzle 44.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention which is particularly useful for smaller size shop vacuums. This particular bag keeper 50 has an open slot 51 for passing over nozzles in a smaller capacity vacuum cleaner, and thus has discontinuous, uppermost and lowermost members 52.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the bag keeper devices 15, 30, 40 and/or 50 according to the present invention may be fabricated from wire, plastic, cardboard or metal.

It should be noted that the bag keeper according to the present invention allows the use of a trash bag in the collection of sawdust so that the user can store it for later disposal. A salient advantage is enabling the user to keep working on wood without having to constantly bring a garbage can to the curb for collection.

While the foregoing has described the features and advantages of several embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this particular area of technology, that changes in form, dimensions, materials and proportions, and minor details of construction can be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. 

1. A bag keeper device for retaining a trash bag against the side and bottom of a garbage can, shop vacuum, or similar component, comprising: a frame structure including a plurality of vertical members interconnected with at least one first completely circular member and one or more partially circular members; said frame structure having an overall shape which is substantially cylindrical; said first completely circular member forming the uppermost member of said frame structure; said members forming said frame structure providing a plurality of first openings between said interconnected members; said interconnected members also forming a side-open structure having a second opening therein which is larger than said first opening; and said frame structure being shaped and dimensioned to fit within a trash bag to retain said trash bag against the side and bottom of a garbage can, shop vacuum or similar component, and to prevent said trash bag from being sucked into a hose of a collection system.
 2. The device according to claim 1, including: a second completely circular member forming a lowermost member of said frame structure.
 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein: one of said partially circular members forms the lowermost member of said frame structure.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein: said side-open structure provides said second opening which extends from said first completely circular member forming said uppermost member of said frame structure to a lowermost member of said frame structure.
 5. The device according to claim 2, wherein: said side-open structure provides said second opening which extends from said first completely circular member forming said uppermost member of said frame structure to said lowermost member of said frame structure.
 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: said second opening in said frame structure has a size which is at least four times the size of said first opening.
 7. The device according to claim 2, wherein: said second opening in said frame structure has a size which is at least four times the size of said first opening.
 8. The device according to claim 3, wherein: said second opening in said frame structure has a size which is at least four times the size of said first opening.
 9. The device according to claim 4, wherein: said second opening in said frame structure has a size which is at least four times the size of said first opening.
 10. The device according to claim 5, wherein: said second opening in said frame structure has a size which is at least four times the size of said first opening.
 11. The device according to claim 1, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 12. The device according to claim 2, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 13. The device according to claim 3, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 14. The device according to claim 4, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 15. The device according to claim 5, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 16. The device according to claim 6, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 17. The device according to claim 7, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 18. The device according to claim 8, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 19. The device according to claim 9, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component.
 20. The device according to claim 10, wherein: said second opening is dimensioned and configured to enable said frame structure to fit over a square baffle, which in turn fits over an orifice in a shop vacuum component. 